increase in net per donor
Situation
Avalon and the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) have been partners since 2009, and in 2017, we saw an opportunity to create a multichannel campaign around Membership Month in March. Alongside a mirrored digital campaign, we sent members a direct mail appeal with a notepad gift to thank them for their member support. The campaign did so well that it became part of our yearly schedule.
Solution
With industry-wide paper and production costs increasing year after year, we needed to produce an
impactful campaign without the high costs. In 2023, we tested removing the premium—half the audience received a notepad, while the other half received only the letter. To our surprise, the audience that did not receive a premium had a 2X stronger response rate, generating 206% more gross revenue and a 41% increase in net per donor!
In 2024, we ran a similar test—this time with a bookmark. The bookmark option was less expensive to produce than a notepad, and we wanted to see if our test would produce the same results as the previous year. Again, the version with no bookmark was the clear winner, with a 22% increase in net per donor for direct mail.
increase in net per donor
more gross revenue
response rate
Success
In 2023, 2024, and 2025, the March Membership Month direct mail appeal had the highest net revenue of the year. These tests proved that NMAI’s members do not need a premium to support the museum—that the messaging was enough to motivate a gift.
We know what works, when to test, and how to turn insight into action. Let’s work together to turn your donor engagement up a notch with multichannel campaigns.
Related Case Studies
Let’s Work Together
Avalon Consulting partners with nonprofits of all sizes to create data-driven, creative campaigns that inspire donors and drive results. Let’s connect and explore how we can help your mission grow.
